MARTHA - MEET FRANK, DANIEL AND LAURENCE (15). Starring Monica Potter, Rufus Sewell, Tom Hollander and Joseph Fiennes. Time: 90 minutes.
IT'S about time someone made a romantic comedy involving an American actress who isn't Meg Ryan.
The world has become cynically fed-up with Ms Ryan's tearjerkers and this tale of three-way unrequited feelings is a perfect answer to fluffy flicks like When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless In Seattle.
Unlikely as it may seem, the idea behind the film lends itself to a harmless hour-and-a-half of good, clean entertainment.
Martha (Monica Potter, of Con Air fame) is the eponymous emigrating Yankee girl who is leaving home on a shoestring for London.
Casting aside her troubles and woes in the States, Martha nevertheless has an uncertain future in the Big Smoke and could do with a chaperone. The only thing is, she didn't bargain on having three.
The first fella to fall in love at first sight is music business hot-shot Daniel (Tom Hollander) who bumps into Martha at the airport.
He's so smitten by her soft, blonde good looks that he even switches plane tickets so he can enjoy Martha's company on the flight. But Daniel's hopes are shattered the next day when, after inviting Martha out for dinner, he is stood up.
Desperate Dan relates his misfortune to best buddies Frank (Rufus Sewell) and Laurence (Joseph Fiennes, brother of Ralph), only for Frank to take the opportunity to score points off his friend.
Frank - a stroppy, out-of-work actor - is jealous of Daniel's success and when he meets Martha in Hyde Park he sees the chance of inflicting pain on his mate.
But, unbeknown to either Frank or Daniel, artist Laurence has also met Martha by chance and a three-way tug of love ensues.
A light-hearted look at absurd coincidence, chance and romantic fortunes, this film is laugh-out-loud funny in places and brilliantly scripted.
The three male protagonists all settle easily into their respective roles and Monica Potter is charming as the object of their desire.
It's everything you could want in a British romantic comedy and definitely joins cinema's long list of feel-good films.
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